My blog provides alternative view on Kashmir dispute and politics of South Asia, especially India Pakistan relations. It aims to educate people that they can make informed judgements.

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Will Pakistan empower people of Azad Kashmir? Dr Shabir Choudhry

Will Pakistan empower people of Azad
Kashmir?

Dr Shabir ChoudhryLondon, 20 February 2018

A full-blown debate on Act 74 with many dimensions is raging in Azad
Kashmiri political circles and on social media. Some people are even wrongly portraying
that they are the first one to oppose the Act 74; or demand its abolition. They
give this impression that as a result of their opposition, Islamabad has
decided to rescind the Act 74 or Kashmir Council. This is not true.

It is historical fact that the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite
Front were the first to oppose the Act 74 in 1970s in very difficult time. From
platform of JKLF, I and many other leaders like Amanullah Khan, Zubair Ansari,
Afzal Jatalvi and others systematically opposed the ACT 74 in 1980s. Abbas
Butt, Zubair Ansari and I opposed it from the platform of Kashmir National Party,
after we left the JKLF and established the new party. We also opposed this
unjust and imperialist Act from different platforms and in various national and
international conferences in the past decades.

This is not to say that some other political parties have not opposed
the Act 74. I, for one, will acknowledge valuable contribution of other
nationalist parties, especially UKPNP, NAP and others.

Is Pakistan going
to empower people of Azad Kashmir?

Some people are praising Raja Farooq Haider that because of his
struggle, Pakistan will abolish Act 74 or abolish Kashmir Council; and empower
people of Pakistani Administered Kashmir. Before we analyse what Pakistan can
give us or wants to give us, we need to current relationship between Pakistan
and so called Azad Kashmir.

In my considered view, which is based on irrefutable evidence; and is
shared by other true nationals, relationship between Azad Kashmir and Pakistan
is that of occupier and occupied. Pakistan’s policies with regard to Jammu and
Kashmir have been imperial in nature; and have been camouflaged in name of
religion to hoodwink people.

An imperial country does not empower occupied people. They exploit their
resources; and systematically create a class of collaborators to serve and
protect their interests. Occupiers and imperialists enslave people, mentally and
physically, by use of massive propaganda; and by depriving them access to their
history, culture and appropriate education.

We people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially people of Azad Kashmir and
Gilgit Baltistan need to understand that a country that can’t or is unwilling to
empower their own people, will NEVER empower us, who are not legally part of
Pakistan.

There is a long history of denial of fundamental rights to people of
East Pakistan and other provinces like Balochistan and Sindh. Those Pakistanis
who complained or openly exposed Pakistani policies were castigated as traitors
and agents of India and imprisoned and killed. I have no time to explain what
happened to people of East Pakistan in their long struggle to become
Bangladeshis; and how many millions died and how many thousand women were
raped.

One thing must be understood that our motherland is occupied by three
countries, namely Pakistan, India and China; and Pakistan was the first country
that attacked us on 22 October 1947, with intention of occupying us. By keeping
this relationship in mind, we can presume what is in store for us.

Those who have any illusions in mind with regard to our relationship
with Pakistan should remember what was said to Farooq Haider, when he expressed
his opinion on the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and questioned rationale of
accession to Pakistan. He was systematically attacked and defamed on Pakistani
media. Some called him a traitor; and others used extremely objectionable
language against an elected Prime Minister of an area which is not legally part
of Pakistan. Some even said that we should send one Hawaldar to arrest him and
bring him to Islamabad. This statement sums up our relationship with Pakistan.

What can Pakistan
give us?

In view of the above relationship, what can Pakistan give people of
Pakistani Administered Kashmir to ‘empower them’. With each administrative
structure Pakistan enacted for us, Pakistani hold on the territory was
strengthened. Before the Act 74, there was Act 70. It is beyond the scope of
this short article to compare the two Acts or the previous Acts like Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Government Act 1964, Act 1968; or Rules of Business of 1952 and 1957. However,
suffice to say that with Act 74, the Pakistani hold on Azad Kashmir
became even stronger.

We are called Azad, but there is very little our elected or selected
government can do without the permission of Rulers and agencies of Pakistan. Political
and administrative hold of the Pakistani parties in Azad Kashmir is almost
complete. We cannot even select candidates for elections.

The last gift from Islamabad in the form administrative structure was
given to us in 1974, a document prepared by the Pakistan Law Minister Abdul
Hafeez Pirzada. Our ‘empowered and liberated’ Assembly Members signed the
document without even reading it because Pirzada Sahib had no time to wait. His
mother was unwell and wanted to go back to Islamabad with a signed document.

After 44 years of political struggle, we hear that something new is
being considered. My fear is what is coming, may not be good for us. They may
change a title, or put a new label on the bottle by curtailing more powers.

The educational, legal and political system prevailing in Azad Kashmir,
only produces more mental slaves of Pakistan. Pakistan has the following
institutions that control Azad Kashmir; and without their consent no Prime
Minister of Pakistan can give any more rights to people of Azad Kashmir. It is
practically not in his power to do it.

1.General Head Quarters;

2.Inter-Services Intelligence;

3.Military Intelligence;

4.Intelligence Bureau (more than 12
other agencies);

5.General Officer Commanding, Murree;

6.Prime Minister of Pakistan;

7.Minister of Kashmir Affairs;

8.Kashmir Council;

9.Chief Secretary;

10.Inspector General Police;

11.Finance Secretary

12.Accountant General

All the above are Pakistanis; and treat Azad Kashmir as a conquered
territory. Which one of the above will voluntarily relinquish his powers to
empower people of Azad Kashmir?

Apart from undeniable consent of the above institutions and individuals,
those who practically rule Pakistan, will have to take other matters into
consideration, for example, implications of the CPEC. What are the Chinese
concerns with regard to Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir; and how to satisfy
them. In my opinion, Chinese demand would be to end this ambiguity related to
the legal status of these areas.

In view of the above scenario what can we practically get. May be a new lollypop
or a new and beautiful label with old wine; or maybe they change the bottle to
make us think that we have got something new. For example, if they change name
of the Kashmir Council to Senate, or something else with some other cosmetic changes,
will we be happy?

Remember, imperial powers give with one hand, and take back with both
hands. Imperial powers do not relinquish their hold voluntarily to gratify people
of their colony. When they find it difficult to keep their control, they pass
on the power to their proxies who have been set up and nourished for this
purpose that they can serve their interests after they leave. In my view, for
Pakistan that stage has not arrived in Azad Kashmir, if anything, their hold on
this territory is stronger than ever, hence nothing substantial is coming our
way.

The
writer is Chairman of South Asia Watch, London, and author of many books on
Jammu and Kashmir and terrorism.

About Me

Dr Shabir Choudhry has done extensive research on the issue of Kashmir and Indo Pakistan relations. He passed BA Honours in Politics and History, and Mphil in International Relations (title of the thesis, ‘Kashmir and Partition of India’); and title of his PhD thesis is ‘Kashmir- An issue of a nation not a dispute of a land’.

Apart from this Dr Shabir Choudhry passed Post Graduates Certificates in Education, and NVQ Assessor’s qualifications; and taught English in London.

Political Achievements

Founder member of JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front established in 1977) and got elected as a Press Secretary in 1984.

Became its Secretary General in 1985, and resigned from this post in 1996.

Got elected President of JKLF and Europe in May 1999, and decided not to contest in elections of July 2001.

Said good - bye to the JKLF as it is in many groups and is largely seen as advancing a Pakistani agenda on Kashmir dispute, and set up a new party Kashmir National Party in May 2008.

.

At present, he is:

·Spokesman Kashmir National Party and Director Diplomatic Committee;

·Spokesman for International KashmirAlliance;

·Founder member and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs;

Previously

·A founder Member and Trustee/ Director of London based registered charity, Kashmir Foundation International and resigned from this position in August 2001.

·Regularly take part in the Sessions of the UN Human Rights (Commission) now Council in Geneva; and address various conferences and seminars to oppose violence and highlight the Kashmir cause.

·Participated in a Round Table Conference on Kashmir, organised by Socialist Group of European Parliament in Brussels in 1993.

·Addressed as a Chief Guest in a seminar on issue of Mangla Dam during the UN Sub Commission’s proceedings in August 2003.

·Addressed as a key - note speaker in a seminar on the issue of Gilgit and Baltistan, organised by Association of British Kashmiris.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker on human rights conference in Paris in 1991.

·Addressed at CambridgeUniversity as a Chief Guest in a conference on Kashmir in 1990.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker at New Delhi conference on Kashmir, which was part of Track Two diplomacy in November 2000.

·In September 2008, addressed a Conference arranged by Interfaith International in Geneva, topic of which was:“Kashmir Issue, Terrorism and Human Rights”.

·Addressed as a speaker in a NGO Conference on Self - Determination in Geneva in August 2000.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker in a fringe meeting of Liberal Democrats at their Annual Conference in Brighton in 1995.

·Participated in World Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993.

·Before President Clinton's visit to India and Pakistan in 2000, lead a JKLF delegation to the State Department to discuss Kashmir dispute and situation in South Asia.

·Also had two rounds of meetings with senior State Department officials before President Musharraf’s meeting to Washington in June 2003.

·Apart from that had meetings with senior officials including Ministers of different countries, and also held many meetings with the State Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on number of occasions.

·Played important role in advancing a Kashmiri perspective on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir; and also helped Baroness Emma Nicholson with her report ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’, which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2007.

·Won first prize in an essay competition in Urdu in 1976. It was organised by High Commission of Pakistan in London, and title of the essay was 'Qaaid-e- Azam's role in Islamic History'.

·Apart from that have addressed conferences in Brussels, Geneva, Toronto, Islamabad, Delhi, and

Publications

·Got first Urdu novel ‘Fareena’ published at the age of eighteen.

·Second Urdu novel ‘Bay-Khataa’ which was about the problems of Asian youths living in UK published in 1983.

·Third Urdu book ‘Pakistan and Kashmiri struggle for independence’ published in 1990.

·Fourth Urdu book is also on Kashmiri struggle, 'Is an independent Kashmir a conspiracy?'

·Apart from that has twenty books and booklets published in English on various aspects of the Kashmiri struggle.

·Recent publications are: Kashmir dispute as I see it

·Different perspective on Kashmir

·JKLF visit to Pakistan Administered Kashmir

·Kashmir Needs Change of Heart

·If not self - determination then what?

·Emma Nicholson report- who has won?

·Struggle for independence, Jihad or proxy war (Introduction by Baroness Emma Nicholson)

·

Future publications

Following books were completed some time ago and shall be published in near future:

In Search of Freedom - My visit to Srinagar and Islamabad

Kashmir and Partition of India

A brief background

Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in a small village called Nakker Shimali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and like other people from the region, holds a dual nationality. He left secondary school in 1970 with no qualifications and began his life as a textile worker.

In 1975 he started part time studies and passed Matriculation from Government High School Panjeri, passed ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from UK, and resumed full time degree course in 1981, and passed BA (Hons) in Politics and History in 1984.

He continued full time and part time jobs until he got his Mphil. He passed his PGCE (Post Graduates Certificate in Education) in 1990, and then started full time job as a Lecturer. Due to health problems he resigned from teaching in 1999. At present he is self - employed, provides private tuition, translation and interpretation and consultancy.

Through out his adult life he has actively worked for the cause of Kashmir, and even during long illness he effectively carried out his responsibilities as a leader of the JKLF, a ‘prolific writer’ and consistent campaigner of Rights Movement and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and South Asia.